The Lay of Peregrin Took
by Llinos
Summary: Written for Baylor's story Fate and the King's High Falcon. It is the song that Legolas makes for Pippin after his recovery in Ithilien and is based on Baylor's story


This was written for Baylor's story of the same name. It is the song that Legolas writes for Pippin after his recovery in Ithilien and is based on Baylor's universe from her story "I Always Know You" in which Pippin almost dies when he is born and Merry sees a falcon, which he takes as an omen that Pippin will live. He is also very weak as a child and Merry becomes his protector and mentor.

Fate and the High King's Falcon  
  
The omen came soaring in from the sea,  
An untamed bird, both wild and free,  
It looked down on the green and rolling land,  
Far away from the ocean strand.  
The innocent child gazed up in awe,  
He saw a falcon – then so much more,  
He heard a promise in its eerie cry,  
Promise of a love that would never die.  
His heart beat faster and he knew for sure,  
This was the one he had waited for,  
The Peregrine Falcon's wayward flight,  
Heralded the birth of the High King's knight.  
  
The knightling was blessed with beauty and grace,  
Sweet of temper and fair of face,  
He filled all others with such light and love,  
The Spirits grew envious, watching above,  
Death jealously stalked the frail bird from the start,  
For the fledgling was small, although great in heart,  
Fate reached cold fingers to ice his sweet breath,  
Steal his dear heart and freeze it in death,  
But his soul was too warm, Fate's fingers were burned,  
Death drew back his hand and the lesson was learned,  
No matter how small, how tender, how frail  
With such goodness and love, Evil cannot prevail.  
  
The young falcon thrived in the lush green hills,  
Ignored all woes and cast off all ills,  
His cousins were older and wiser than he,  
They were nervous of Fate and his cold decree,  
They nurtured the small one, keeping him near,  
Safe from danger and free from fear.  
Precious to many, but one above all,  
Taught him to walk and would not let him fall,  
With the twin of his heart he learned to run,  
Into merry adventures, mischief and fun,  
So they became each, a part of a whole  
Bonded together in spirit and soul.  
  
Whispers grew of a dark, nameless fear,  
A time of terror was drawing near,  
No one else listened or seemed to see,  
But four hunted sparrows were forced to flee  
Away from the golden shades of the Shire,  
Into peril that was dangerous and dire,  
Black riders thundered along in their wake,  
Pounding the earth and making it shake,  
When such Evil threatened his kith and his kin,  
The little bird found new courage within,  
'We'll stay by your side, right to the end,  
We'll never desert you, our cousin and friend!'  
  
The great and the mighty agreed in debate,  
Evil must be destroyed, ere it was too late,  
Of elves, dwarves, or wizard, men mighty and bold,  
None there dare handle the corrupt band of gold.  
So an innocent childling, faithful and true,  
Offered to try what the strong could not do,  
A Fellowship picked from the brave and the best,  
Would guard and protect him throughout his Quest,  
But bow, sword or axe, magic staff and great shield,  
Were as nothing beside what true love can yield,  
So the little hawk ruffed up his feathers with pride,  
He would fight for his kin and not be denied!  
  
Then he fluttered his wings and learned how to fly,  
Staying close to the ground and never too high,   
He chirruped and twittered and sang his sweet song,  
Lifting up hearts as they journeyed along.  
The ice-covered mountain threw down its cruel snows,  
He wanted to sing, but the tiny bird froze,  
In the depths of the mines he tried to keep still,  
Then the goblins awoke and he made his first kill,  
But almost as soon as his courage awoke,  
The great leader fell and the little bird broke,  
Loved like a Grandsire and now he was gone,  
But hawklings can't cry – they just have to fly on.  
  
Then vultures descended, the foul Uruk-hai,  
Scattered the little birds, making them fly,  
The tiny brave falcon, knew it was his part,  
To lead them away, though fear filled his heart,  
But the warrior eagle, mighty and great,  
Could not leave his two precious chicks to their fate,  
His dear little ones, that he'd learned to cherish,  
He could not, he would not, allow them to perish.  
He fought with such rage, so that they might survive  
And gave his life's blood to keep them alive,  
The small falcon wept and a promise was made,  
If it took all his life, the debt would be repaid.  
  
Tied, torn and hurt the small bird was taken,  
But he knew in his heart he would not be forsaken,  
In that darkest hour, with his courage awoken,  
He tore off his brooch to leave as a token,  
Although his defiance brought whipping and pain,  
The three hunting hawks knew their chase was not vain,  
Hungry and weary, he held on to his hopes,  
And a little bird cannot be tied up with ropes,  
He beat his small wings until he broke free,  
Then flew to the safety of forest and tree,  
The brave half-grown falcon gave all he could give,  
So Fate then decreed that the fledglings should live.  
  
In the deep of the forest a wonder occurred,  
The little ones chirruped and a strange legend stirred,  
Old as the mountains, forgotten and sad,  
The happy bird's trilling made their hearts glad,  
Like a mighty great tree that grew from a bud,  
Like the tiniest rain drops that start a great flood,  
Like the first chinks of light that herald the sun,  
Like the silvery motes from which moonbeams are spun,   
When their light feathers touched like snow from on high,  
An avalanche started, that shook earth and sky,  
So the great wizard learned that two tiny birds,  
Could charm even the trees with their innocent words.  
  
When floodwaters roared like the Sundering Seas,  
The power of Orthanc was brought to its knees,  
Those two tiny nestlings had caused it to fall,  
The mighty cast down by the smallest of small,  
Then the Riders rode in and found their way barred,  
By two stoic eaglets, who proudly stood guard.  
They chirruped and had such a sweet song to sing,  
Their melody charmed a great army and King,  
While the three weary hunters did not chide or chafe,  
Happy to see their chicks both whole and safe,  
So the truants came gladly back to the fold,  
With adventures, wonders and tales to be told.  
  
But little birds have inquisitive eyes  
And a bright shiny bauble is a sweet prize,  
The magpie conquered the falcon that day,  
Till he became victim of his own prey,  
Though the wise owl refused, he could not resist,  
To steal just one look, before it was missed.  
But the glass held dark raptors, evil and grim,  
The falcon quaked at the vileness within,  
Malevolence sought to rape his pure mind,  
But sweetness and light was all He could find,  
Most mortals could not such Evil endure,  
But the falcon's heart was too precious and pure.  
  
Frightened and hurt the fledgling was shaken,  
By the power that dwelt in the orb he had taken,  
But kind, gentle hands soothed the tiny bird's fright,  
Then bore him to safety, through the black night,  
To the shimmering City of the white gleaming towers  
With roads of cold stone and scant trees or flowers,  
Here dwelt the sire of the eagle who fell,  
A Nobleman haunted beneath a dark spell,  
Then the little bird knew that the time had arrived  
To make good his debt to the one who had died,  
Bravely he spoke out and offered his sword,  
And pledged his allegiance to the great Lord.  
  
But the Steward was filled with worry and care,  
The Blackness had clenched his soul with despair,  
All words of hope sounded empty and hollow,  
One son was dead and the other would follow,  
He condemned his line to a grim fiery death,  
Defying cruel Fate to steal his last breath.  
But the little bird knew that Fate was the liar  
And the innocent had to be saved from the pyre,  
Bravely he flew and brought the wise one  
And together they rescued the Nobleman's son,  
He thought of the debt and the promise he'd made,  
Then saw in his heart, a small part had been paid.  
  
The war still raged on but the falcon was stronger,  
His feathers now fledged, a nestling no longer,  
But his heart was aching for want of his other,  
Closer than friend and dearer than brother.  
Then from out of the battle's turmoil and din,  
Wandering alone, he found his soul's twin  
Who had fought a great foe, and paid the price,  
He was injured and lost and his arm was like ice,  
His little heart wrenched at his precious one's plight,  
He bit back his tears and held him so tight,  
Keeping him close with his sheltering wing,  
Until he was healed by the hands of the King.  
  
Then the small falcon knew the course he must serve,  
To fight for the King with each sinew and nerve,  
And proudly he swore to follow his task,  
To do all and more that his duty might ask.  
Grown to a soldier, the brave little bird,  
Marched to the war to hold good his word,  
He fought not for glory or the hope they could win,  
He fought for his friends, his country and kin.  
Like a sundering sea the enemy poured,  
Wave upon wave, a great ravening horde,  
Evil and death rode out through the Black Gate,  
But the falcon stood firm, not afraid of his fate.  
  
Then the battle began and death was now near,  
He drew his small sword and fought without fear,  
He slew the foul monster for the life of his friend,  
And even in triumph, accepted his end.  
The little bird knew as the dark filled his eyes,  
No more would he see green fields or blue skies,  
No more would he sit with his ale by the fire,  
No more see his loved ones or home in the Shire,  
Cries heralded the eagles, as they flew overhead  
But crushed in the dark, he knew he was dead,  
The falcon's freed spirit now soared to the sky,  
'Little one, please come back! It's too soon to die!'  
  
The battle was over and victory proclaimed,  
They tended the fallen and succoured the maimed,  
As a foul beast was lifted with loathing and dread,  
The little bird lay there, broken and dead.  
So tiny, so fragile, his hour had been brief,  
Now all they could give were their tears and their grief,  
They thought of his kin, but not how to explain,  
For the void of his loss would bring so much pain,  
Then the Valar were moved by the sadness and strife,  
They let fall a small touch, one brief chance of life,  
Then all of Creation seemed to paused for a breath –  
As Fate pulled the Falcon from the deep well of death.  
  
The Falcon's soul flew far away from the earth,  
The furthest he'd been since the day of his birth,  
Pain upon pain made his mind fly away,  
Till the King called him back and bade him to stay,  
Gently he whispered in the wounded one's ear,  
Words soft and sweet that a small bird could hear,  
Your wings are now fledged and you need to soar,  
Mel tithen fileg, al-revia thar-taur!  
He had to hold on, he had to stay true,  
So the falcon heeded the voice that he knew,  
Mel tithen fileg, al-revia thar-taur!  
Remember you must find your way back once more.  
  
The little bird turned from the lure of the sky,  
Sweet voices were calling, 'don't give up and die,  
'Please stay little one – you cannot just leave,  
'You have to hold on – you have to believe.'  
He struggled to reach his body once more,  
Back to the pain that he'd fled from before.  
He tried to cry out as if he would say,  
'Please help me I'm lost and I don't know the way!'  
But soft healing hands answered his fears,  
As they mended his hurts and soothed away tears,  
So gently they nursed him until he was whole,  
And safe once again with the twin of his soul.  
  
The small bird grew strong as the long days went by,  
Till his wings were healed and once more he could fly,  
Although he'd not looked for any reward,  
He was proud to have given the great King his sword,  
Now the falcon was grown both in stature and grace,  
With a spark in his eye and pride in his face,  
As his King named him gallant, daring and sure,  
Chivalrous and brave, stout hearted and pure,  
His heart leapt a beat, as he finally knew,  
The omen of his beginning was true,  
So proudly he knelt to receive his birthright,  
For Fate had named the falcon – the High King's Knight!  
  



End file.
